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Re: Wet Coiling



Tesla List wrote:
> 
> Subscriber: bert.hickman-at-aquila-dot-com Sun Jan  5 20:55:58 1997
> Date: Sat, 04 Jan 1997 23:23:22 -0800
> From: Bert Hickman <bert.hickman-at-aquila-dot-com>
> To: tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com
> Subject: Wet Coiling
> 
> Hi All!
> 
> We just had a very wet, unseasonably warm day, which followed some much
> colder weather. The enclosed porch my coil is housed in in felt very
> damp, and the windows were steamed. I tried to fire up the coil, in
> preparation for a visitor I had coming over. However, I failed to notice
> that virtually everything on the coil, caps, neons, and gaps was covered
> with a light coating of dew!
> 
> Fortunately, the gap never even fired, since the static gap was
> virtually shorted out - miriads of little coronal discharges played
> between the water droplets inside and outside the PVC pipe gaps housing!
> Lucky thing, since the secondary was also coated with water!  After
> putting a dehumidifier in the room, wiping down the secondary, and
> baking the PVC static gap, I was able to get the beast somewhat
> operational in time for my visiting friend. Just another little wrinkle
> to watch out for when coiling in a less-than-ideal environment!
> 
> Anyway, Safe (and non-underwater) coilin' to ya!
> 
> -- Bert --

Bert:

	Glad that the moisture didn't do any damage of any sort.  We had that
same rain up here just north of you and I really can appreciate the
problem it presented.  Sounds like when you really start pushing the
coil the primary side resistance (oven elements?) might help dry out the
porch!  
	Speaking of drying out, I primed the wooden primary support structure
for my new coil project and it took three days for the stuff to
dry--that same rain cloud.  Finally cranked the heat up in the basement
and it's now sanded and two finish coats are on it.  Figure sealing it
up will prevent any swelling due to moisture accumulation and arcing
like you just described--we'll see.  I got the acrylic stand-offs all
done--I'm really ready to mount them and start getting the copper tube
in place.  Another week I guess, unless your rain heads up here and we
have a flood like out west! :-)  Ordered my new cap today too, from
Plastic Capacitors, Inc.  It will be 8 weeks before it arrives.  Really
a nice group to work with.  .05 mfd 2 30KVAC working voltage with 450bps
rating.  

Chuck